Saturday, February 09, 2013

Camp Ashraf: The US failure

The number killed and wounded vary but all outlets are reporting on an attack on the former residents of Camp Ashraf. Trend News Agency says 10 dead and over one hundred injured. Prensa Latina reports, " A rain of self-propelled Katyusha missiles hit a provisional camp of
Iraqi opposition Mujahedin-e Khalk, an organization Tehran calls
terrorists, causing seven fatalities plus 50 wounded, according to an
Iraqi official release." Who are these people targeted?

Approximately 3,400 people were at Camp Ashraf when the US invaded Iraq
in 2003. They were Iranian dissidents who were given asylum by Saddam
Hussein decades ago. The US government authorized the US military to
negotiate with the residents. The US military was able to get the
residents to agree to disarm and they became protected persons under
Geneva and under international law.

Despite that legal status and
the the legal obligation on the part of the US government to protect
the residents, since Barack Obama was sworn in as US president,
Nouri has ordered not one but two attacks on Camp Ashraf resulting in
multiple deaths. Let's recap. July 28, 2009
Nouri launched an attack (while then-US Secretary of Defense Robert
Gates was on the ground in Iraq). In a report released this summer
entitled "Iraqi government must respect and protect rights of Camp Ashraf residents,"
Amnesty International described this assault, "Barely a month later, on
28-29 July 2009, Iraqi security forces stormed into the camp; at least
nine residents were killed and many more were injured. Thirty-six
residents who were detained were allegedly tortured and beaten. They
were eventually released on 7 October 2009; by then they were in poor
health after going on hunger strike." April 8, 2011,
Nouri again ordered an assault on Camp Ashraf (then-US Secretary of
Defense Robert Gates was again on the ground in Iraq when the assault
took place). Amnesty International described the assault this way,
"Earlier this year, on 8 April, Iraqi troops took up positions within
the camp using excessive, including lethal, force against residents who
tried to resist them. Troops used live ammunition and by the end of the
operation some 36 residents, including eight women, were dead and more
than 300 others had been wounded. Following international and other
protests, the Iraqi government announced that it had appointed a
committee to investigate the attack and the killings; however, as on
other occasions when the government has announced investigations into
allegations of serious human rights violations by its forces, the
authorities have yet to disclose the outcome, prompting questions
whether any investigation was, in fact, carried out." Mohammed Tawfeeq (CNN) observes
that "since 2004, the United States has considered the residents of
Camp Ashraf 'noncombatants' and 'protected persons' under the Geneva
Conventions."

The
Secretary of State has decided, consistent with the law, to revoke the
designation of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) and its aliases as a Foreign
Terrorist Organization (FTO) under the Immigration and Nationality Act
and to delist the MEK as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under
Executive Order 13224. These actions are effective today. Property and
interests in property in the United States or within the possession or
control of U.S. persons will no longer be blocked, and U.S. entities may
engage in transactions with the MEK without obtaining a license. These
actions will be published in the Federal Register.

With
today's actions, the Department does not overlook or forget the MEK's
past acts of terrorism, including its involvement in the killing of U.S.
citizens in Iran in the 1970s and an attack on U.S. soil in 1992. The
Department also has serious concerns about the MEK as an organization,
particularly with regard to allegations of abuse committed against its
own members.

The Secretary's decision today
took into account the MEK's public renunciation of violence, the
absence of confirmed acts of terrorism by the MEK for more than a
decade, and their cooperation in the peaceful closure of Camp Ashraf,
their historic paramilitary base.

The
United States has consistently maintained a humanitarian interest in
seeking the safe, secure, and humane resolution of the situation at Camp
Ashraf, as well as in supporting the United Nations-led efforts to
relocate eligible former Ashraf residents outside of Iraq.

CNN notes of today's assault, "The rocket and mortar attack occurred at Camp Hurriya, a onetime U.S.
base formerly known as Camp Liberty, which is now the home of the
Iranian exile group Mujahedin-e-Khalq. Accounts of the number of people killed and wounded in the attack vary."

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi called on the US President and the UN Secretary General to immediately return the residents to AshrafAt
05:45 this morning, local time, camp Liberty was attacked with missiles
and mortars. Until now 6 residents including a woman were martyred and
more than 50 people injured. The injured are at critical condition and
the number of martyrs may rise. One of the 6 residents died two hours
after the attack due to delay in transfer to hospital. The names of
martyrs are: Pouran Najafi, Yahya Nazari, Akbar Azizi, Mostafa Khosravi,
Mehdi Abed and Hadi Shafiei.
Aid and ambulances for transfer of injured were not available in the
early hours of the attack. The generator of Iraqi Clinique was also hit
and is not functioning and the electricity has been cut off. Iraq’s
prime ministry has ordered the Iraqi forces to prevent transfer of
injured to hospitals with few vehicles which the residents had brought
to Liberty from Ashraf.During the past year, despite
residents’ insistence and frequent approach to the US and UN officials,
the government of Iraq cruelly prevented transfer of residents’ medical
equipment from Ashraf to Liberty.

Jane Arraf (Al Jazeera) has a video report here. She speaks with the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Iraq, Martin Kobler, who states, "We want to avoid bloodshed and that's why we entered into the agreement with the government of Iraq -- because there was immediate violence in December 2011. That's why I'm so shocked what happened today because these people have to be protected." The United Nations News Centre noted:Camp residents were previously situated at Camp Ashraf in eastern Iraq,
but were relocated last year, in line with an agreement signed in
December 2011 between the UN and the Iraqi Government.“The Secretary-General calls on the Government of Iraq, which is
responsible for the safety and security of residents of both Camp
Liberty and Camp Ashraf, to promptly and fully investigate the incident
and bring perpetrators to justice,” said Mr. Ban's spokesperson in a
statement. “He has repeatedly stated that violence and provocation are
unacceptable.” Mr. Ban also reiterated the UN's strong commitment to continue its
long-standing efforts to facilitate a peaceful and durable solution for
residents of both camps.The High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, expressed his
shock about the attack calling it “a despicable act of violence.”“I call on the Iraqi Government to do everything it can to guarantee
security to the residents,” he said. “The perpetrators must be found and
brought to justice without delay.”In a news release, the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said it is closely liaising with the Government on the response to the incident, including medical assistance to the wounded.

Press TV notes, "The United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees said that Camp Liberty should be used as a transit center for
the MKO members to other countries." And here's the UNHCR press release on that:UNHCR Chief Guterres strongly condemns deadly attack on Camp Liberty in Iraq
9 February 2013 – The High Commissioner
for Refugees, António Guterres expresses his shock about this morning's
mortar attack on Camp Liberty in Iraq that reportedly killed six and
wounded dozens.
"I strongly condemn this attack," Mr. Guterres said, noting that the
residents of Camp Liberty are asylum seekers undergoing the refugee
status determination process and thus entitled to international
protection. "This is a despicable act of violence."
"I call on the Iraqi Government to do everything it can to guarantee
security to the residents," he said. "The perpetrators must be found and
brought to justice without delay," he said.
The High Commissioner also calls on all countries to help find urgent solutions for the Camp Liberty residents.
Mr. Guterres expresses his deep condolences to the families of the victims.

Al Jazeera notes that the spokesperson for the European Union has conveyed condemnation for the attack from High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.

So the United Nations, the European Union . . . Where's the US government?

See, this is why 60 Minutes and others shouldn't do puff pieces. Secretary of State was Hillary Clinton. At least 50% of her job was restoring confidence in the State Dept internally. Starting with Colin Powell's lies, morale at the State Dept took a deep hit and needed to be restored. They needed someone who could restore the image and Hillary did that. She was a political star and she deserves credit for using all of that star power to boost morale and to give the Dept meaning internally. That's why John Kerry is the perfect choice to replace her. He has the tools to build on the restoration she's done. He lacks her star power but so does pretty much everyone else. He does have stature himself, significant stature, and he's known for being methodical. So he will hopefully do a wonderful job of picking up the baton and moving forward on that topic.

But 50% of a job isn't a job. In other areas, Hillary didn't do so well.

That does include Camp Ashraf. She dragged her feet and ignored a court order. Yes, with the approval of the White House but I'm not evaluating them right now, I'm evaluating Hillary. Over a year passed and the courts had to give her another deadline. This one she managed. October 1, 2012 was the new deadline. As we've noted above, September 28th, three days before the deadline, the State Dept finally acted.

Apparently the foot dragging on that was not followed by quick action. As Jane Arraf notes in her report, there's very little effort to welcome the Ashraf residents around the world. The US government gave the Ashraf residents protected status. It is incumbent upon the US government to work to arrange visas for these residents. Some will most likely refuse to leave. Those who turn down a genuine offer are on their own. The US government's extension of protected persons status only extends up to the moment that a way out is presented. If a resident refuses to take the way out, he or she can remain in Iraq where Nouri will most likely deport them to Iran.

The foot dragging by the State Dept and the White House is appalling. Today, the residents were yet again attacked. That can't continue to happen. The residents need to have real offers to leave, real visas. And after that, the US government is done. You can't help someone leave if they choose to stay. You'd think the US government would work quickly on this issue so that they could dispense with their own legal obligations.

And just as I was about to hit "publish" a State Dept friend called to say they had just issued a statement:Press Statement

Victoria NulandDepartment Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

February 9, 2013

The United States condemns in the strongest
terms the vicious and senseless terrorist attack that took place this
morning at Camp Hurriya killing 6 people and injuring dozens more. We
offer our condolences to the families of the victims and hope for the
swift recovery of those who were injured.
We understand the Government of Iraq has undertaken to promptly
investigate the attack. We call on it to earnestly and fully carry out
that investigation and to take all appropriate measures to enhance the
security of the camp consistent with its commitment and obligation to
the safety and security of the camp's residents. The terrorists
responsible for this attack must be brought to justice.
We are consulting with the Government of Iraq and the United Nations
Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) on the circumstances surrounding
this tragedy, and we remain committed to assisting the Government of
Iraq and UNAMI in their efforts to implement the December 25, 2011
agreement.

You can file it under "better late the never" or you can keep it in the folder marked "foot dragging."

About Me

We do not open attachments. Stop e-mailing them. Threats and abusive e-mail are not covered by any privacy rule. This isn't to the reporters at a certain paper (keep 'em coming, they are funny). This is for the likes of failed comics who think they can threaten via e-mails and then whine, "E-mails are supposed to be private." E-mail threats will be turned over to the FBI and they will be noted here with the names and anything I feel like quoting.
This also applies to anyone writing to complain about a friend of mine. That's not why the public account exists.